Category Archives: Social Media

Fashion Week in 2007 was the year for the celebration of staple institutions in the fashion world. Lacoste was applauded for 75 years of defining timeless and Ralph Lauren took a much deserved bow at the end of the runway for 40 years that have reshaped the industry.

As last year applauded the traditional, Fashion Week 2008 has embraced the new. New media that is. In 2006, bloggers were handed the much vied for press passes among the Anna Wintours of the industry. 2008 sees another first on this front. IQONS.com, a social networking platform that has connected some of fashion’s premier young talent with the industry’s superstars, was enlisted as a media partnership, alongside longtime traditional media partner The New York Times.

I find the most compelling aspect of social media to be the ability for a community to contribute their own thoughts and build upon one another’s ideas. It gives everyone a voice, even those who don’t get those prized seats at the runway. So I find it fitting that with the induction of this new media partnership, IQONS will circulate the first issue of its user-generated magazine among the jewel tone clad fashionistas perched under the white peaks of the Bryant Park tents. Meanwhile I will shiver in Boston, and try to live vicariously through some of my favorite fashion bloggers (Fashion Tribes) who were given the ultimate nod from the industry by getting press passes to arguably, the most glamorous week of the year.

I suppose I’m a Facebook snob. I created my profile on Facebook before the time of news feeds, throwing sheep or giving gifts of lipstick and penguins. The clean appearance of the profile appealed to me then.

I’ve been wary of the superwalls, graffiti and bumper stickers that are tacked on to chaotic profiles now. I diffidently adopt applications that align with my interests – like the causes application or the “Where Have I Been” travel map. I’m shamelessly careful not to clutter my page, even voting applications, groups and profile information off to maintain order.

Last month I received a Facebook gift from one of my favorite non-profit bloggers, Beth. It was a tiny pink and green gift box and in it, a donation to the organization of her choice. With each gift you buy with this Changing The Present application, you can make a donation to any of the non-profits that have teamed up with the application. I scoured the organizations to return the gift to Beth and introduce it to other friends of mine.

The application introduced me to Freedom from Hunger, a non-profit I donated to by presenting little pink and green facebook gift boxes to ten of my friends. So today, there is a box on my profile that displays the first gift I received from Beth. In my news feed, where I normally hastily delete any activity to minimize that box as much as possible, I have retained the information about my own Changing the Present gift giving so anyone who stumbles across my profile may find this gift – one that I find far more distinctive and meaningful than animated teddy bears and balloons.

This Christmas, my family and friends made donations to Freedom from Hunger in my name. My parents sponsored a program that allows 378 young mothers in a 3rd world country to be educated so they can help guide their daughters into a better life. The card that accompanied their donation and thanked me for my support was nestled under the tree in a large sage green box with a deep pink bow wrapped around it. Apparently, tiny colorful boxes on Facebook can lead to life-size change.

We all scrounge up our clothing to donate year after year – either it doesn’t fit or it just doesn’t blend with your new post-college professional life (ahem!) but for some reason scouring the goodwill racks has been often looked down upon. Delightful treasures for cheap prices have been mistakenly overlooked by fashionistas everywhere.

Goodwill is dedicated to the employment of people who are disadvantaged or disabled, so when thousands of pounds of clothing are discarded wastefully it is a painful disservice to the project, the people and the planet.

During my daily dose of Have Fun*Do Good I came across the first of the great strides that Goodwill is making in revamping their image to the mass market. Goodwill has a new fashion blog and the blogger, Em Hall reveals her tips and tricks in accessories and dresses but at the same time she introduces fashionistas to the vintage finds that are in plenty at Goodwill retail locations or its Ebay site.

And courtesy of PSFK , I stumbled across another “good” find. Goodwill is teaming up with designer, Nick Graham, to launch a fashion line, William Good, which reuses and reinvents the clothing you’re tossing into fabulous pieces that can grow into a brand that according to Graham will “help the environment, create employment, and generate profit.”

This year when you lug your box of “too-big” jeans, you may just want to peek into the store for someone else’s “that color doesn’t work on me anymore” sweaters.

I’m used to pink products piled on shelves for the month of October, but I was pleasantly surprised when I watched bloggers turn pink for this month. The face of many of my favorite blogs changed their look in support of Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Though changing colors and placing a pink ribbon on your facebook page may not necessarily generate funds it does peak people’s curiosity, inspire people to learn more and prompt some to take action.

For the bloggers who are already pink, they have adopted their own means of supporting causes. Recently as I was scouring The Budget Fashionista for some fabulous fashion tips, I realized Kathryn and Angela were doing their part by contributing a $1 toward the Breast Cancer Awareness fund for every comment readers left on their posts.

Since breast cancer has touched the lives of many, it has garnered significant support. However, we all support causes that we feel passionately about, whether they are on a large or small scale. I’m an avid reader of Beth Kanter’s blog which documents how non profits can implement social media. Beth just launched a personal campaign for a Cambodian student she cultivated a relationship with. I learned about her fundraising efforts as I was checking her blog and noticed that each day she was dedicating a post to recognize and thank her contributors. Each of these generous contributions are going to help make a difference in Leng Sopharth’s life.

Whether they are making a difference in one life or a million, these women and bloggers have my support. I’ll be posting a note on TBF’s blog and making my contribution to Beth’s Sharing Foundation shortly. I encourage all my friends to do the same.

One of my best friends, Leigh sends me YouTube tidbits of her pug, capturing every precious head tilt. We all appreciate YouTube because it gives everyone a platform to document the scenarios that make them laugh, shout their opinions wide and far, and share the moments that are special to them.

So I am loving their You Tube Non Profit Program. It allows non-profits to reach out to their audiences effectively and inexpensively. The program offers organizations a designated “Nonprofit” channel on YouTube where they can upload rotating promotional videos, brand themselves, provide information to interested parties and even accept donations.

Some of my favorite organizations already have channels set up – take a peek at Autism Speaks or the American Cancer Society. For other wonderful organizations with lesser funding, this is a valuable tool to inform the public of their own cause and the lives they touch.

My design friends are going to love this and fashion hounds will enjoy… Threadless, an online community covered by Mashable, is bringing its community to the streets of Chicago. The site started as a unique way for anyone to post their original and funky tee shirt designs and share them to the community. The community members rate the designs and the winner of the week gets to see it print! Added Bonus: $500 …

Playground Love… Recent Winner

In September, Threadless opened a flagship retail store in Chicago to distribute always fresh styles, and offer design workshops for budding artists! The creative expression is evident when I scoured through this week’s submissions so Chicago contributors will adore this new store.

The idea of a merging of online community and real world is another step in the evolution of social media.

I suppose Facebook is something ingrained in me by this point, as brushing my teeth or checking my email. It has steadily intertwined itself in my life as a simple and always useful platform to connect and i’ll admit it… stalk friends, family and the randoms who somehow made it into my network.

CNN reported today that a hate crime on Georgetown campus was solved with the help of the popular social network. A victim of what the police are calling a hate crime assault began trying to find suspects within his network.

The metropolitan police department then compiled a spread of profiles with similar appearance and the victim was able to identify his attacker.

Facebook wears many hats, and as the site grows and grows they can add this to their collection.